Dairy farmers brace for winter
The end of the milking season came earlier than usual for Jeremy Duckmanton as the dairy farmer moved his herd to winter pastures in time to beat the holiday weekend traffic.
Duckmanton and his staff guided a herd of 500 cows 15 kilometres from his farm in Lauriston to paddocks closer to Rakaia, 57km south of Christchurch – a journey that took about three hours yesterday morning.
The annual ‘‘Gypsy Day’’’ – where stock are relocated until the new milking season gets under way – took place throughout the country, prompting an NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) warning for motorists to be vigilant travelling in rural areas on the Queen’s Birthday public holiday.
Duckmanton did not have to cross a main highway but Thompsons Track – an alternative route between State Highway 1 and the central South Island – was busier than usual.
‘‘A lot of people on their travels on the long weekend cut out that way to get off the main highway,’’ Duckmanton said.
‘‘That’s why we went earlier in the morning.
‘‘you try and minimise the inconvenience for people.
‘‘There’s four or five mobs going down Thompsons Track at times, it’s a busy time of year,’’ he said.
Farmers droving their stock needed consent from the NZTA to move them along or across state highways.
Duckmanton said his journey passed without incident.
Milking resumes in August.